By Lwandle Mqadi
Article 4.5 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) identifies technology transfer as a key mechanism for addressing climate change, and requires developed countries to support technology development and utilisation in developing countries.
Within this context, the international community has agreed that an essential component of a comprehensive global effort for combating climate change requires an acceleration of the development, deployment, adoption, diffusion and transfer of environmentally sound technologies among all nations and especially developing countries. This understanding has been incorporated in the Bali Action Plan (1), which emphasizes the critical importance of technology to successfully implement mitigation and adaptation actions in both developed and developing countries. As a result, nations are currently formulating “a technology road map” which outlines all climate change related technology challenges.
Some of the key climate change related technology challenges which countries are trying to respond to include the following, “What technologies are required as early action to counter already severe impacts of climate change in developing countries?”; “What would be the defining features of an enabling global policy framework for the transfer of technology to the developing world?“; “What policies are required at national levels to allow for the adoption and dissemination of appropriate technologies by various levels of stakeholders and actors in developing country economies?”.
With most developing countries and specifically the least developing countries already experiencing severe impacts of climate change, technologies to ensure sustainable development, economic growth and increased adaptive capacity are urgently needed. It has been well documented that people, communities and ecosystems adapt to climate change simply by changing their behaviour, by moving to a different location or just by adapting naturally to the new conditions of the environment they occupy. However, most importantly as an active or conscious response they would employ “different forms of technology” as urgent action to adapt to both climate variability (short-term responses) and climate change (long-term responses).
The different forms of technology include hard forms of technology (e.g. new irrigation systems), soft technologies (e.g. various processes including insurance schemes) and/or combination of both the hardware and the software e.g. early warning systems that may combine “hard” scientific forecasting models with local knowledge or action research whilst raising awareness and stimulating appropriate action.
Furthermore, in terms of appropriate technologies for early action, Thorne (2007) discusses the concept of technological receptivity whereby the sense of ownership is defined as the common thread in successful transfer and receipt of technologies as people always support what they are involved in and resist what they are excluded from. This clearly illustrates that for any global early action technological responses, bottom up approaches would have to be promoted, financed appropriately and implemented within a defined enabling global policy framework.
The role of public-private partnerships should also not be ignored whilst intense capacity building initiatives would have to be put in place to allow for appropriate development and deployment of early appropriate technologies to immediately assist the vulnerable adapt to climate change. Developing countries and especially the least developing countries would have to strongly advocate, lobby and lead on this key challenge towards Copenhagen 2009.
The defining features of an enabling global policy framework for the transfer of technology to the developing world should include clear frameworks on technology transfer for adaptation and mitigation of climate change. In terms of mitigation of climate change, issues on intellectual property rights for compliance under the UNFCCC; availability, accessibility and financing of appropriate existing and new mitigation technologies often referred to as “environmentally sound technologies”; facilitation of capacity building needs as an integral part of technology transfer; provision of financial resources and where necessary technical assistance should be made priority within this framework.
Also, towards Copenhagen 2009, all of the features defined should be in the context of the proposed Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) for developing countries. In terms of adaptation to climate change, realisation of indigenous adaptation technologies (including the role of indigenous knowledge) and their dissemination should be promoted and funded accordingly; wide diffusion of adaptation technologies for similar climate conditions amongst the vulnerable nations; strengthening of local institutions (including their technical capacity) for adaptation to climate change, and the role of action research in addition to traditional forms of research for appropriate adaptation activities should also be the key defining features for this particular framework.
Lastly, the adoption and dissemination of appropriate technologies by various levels of stakeholders and actors in developing country economies will require enabling national level frameworks. Most developing countries as part of their National Communications under the UNFCCC framework are required to undertake Technology Needs Assessments (TNAs). The TNAs should be an integral part of any national policy designed for appropriate adoption and dissemination of appropriate technologies by various stakeholders. For the most vulnerable countries, National Adaptation Plans of Actions (NAPAs) have also already identified and defined the most vulnerable sectors within the countries; identified all relevant stakeholders; outlined appropriate and required short-term action and long-term climate change responses; action; and overall measures which could be used to formulate policies that are required for the adoption and dissemination of appropriate technologies.
In conclusion, an enabling global policy framework for technology transfer to ensure appropriate adaptation to climate change and promote the urgent need of low carbon economies is necessary. In terms of governance, an accountable and financed institution within the UNFCCC framework is necessary to ensure appropriate implementation of the global policy framework for technology transfer at all levels with a special focus to developing and vulnerable countries.
Lwandle Mqadi holds a BSc Honours in Agricultural Economics (Agricultural Finance) and MSc in Agricultural Economics (Environmental Economics), University of Pretoria. She has previously worked for the SouthSouthNorth Project, Ecosecurities PLC and has also been an International Fellow (Climate Change Group) with the Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) in the UK .She currently works for the Gold Standard Foundation (www.cdmgoldstandard.org) as a Local Expert for the Sub-Sahara Region.
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(1) This refers to a two-year road map (2007-2009) of the key topics and a comprehensive agenda for what would be discussed in the led up to, and agreed at, Copenhagen in December 2009.These discussions are envisaged to deliver an internal agreement on global climate change.